The Bose SoundLink Max is a portable stereo speaker that's designed to be both compact and loud. Its premium price tag comes with a bevy of features and a sound that helps you bring the party wherever you go (and keep it going, as the manufacturer advertises nearly all-day battery life). It's dust-resistant and submergible in water, too, so it seems well-suited to rainy camping trips and wild pool parties alike.
Our Verdict
The Bose SoundLink Max has a punchy default sound profile with balanced mids and highs. While its bass response is solid for a speaker of its size, a boost to the high-bass helps reinforce the attack of kicks and basslines. The smooth mids and detailed highs help bring out vocals and lead instruments well, too, ensuring they don't get lost in the mix. Unlike previous SoundLink speakers, this speaker can play stereo content, and its directivity is decent for a front-facing speaker. Plus, it can get loud enough to soundtrack spontaneous dance parties without compressing too much at max volume. A graphic EQ and presets are also available via the app for more precise sound tuning.
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Gets pretty loud, with minimal compression.
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Graphic EQ and presets in app.
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Directivity isn't the best.
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No room correction feature.
The Bose SoundLink Max is okay for videos and movies. It can get loud enough to soundtrack your movie night in a pinch, and its decent directivity and stereo capabilities help with locating dialogue within the stereo field. While it lacks a deep bass for cinematic sound effects, there's plenty of detail in the mid and treble range to bring out dialogue. Audiovisual synchronization error is relatively low with both iOS and Android devices, too, so you don't need to worry about sync issues between your audio and video.
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Gets pretty loud, with minimal compression.
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Graphic EQ and presets in app.
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Directivity isn't the best.
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No room correction feature.
The Bose SoundLink Max is great for podcasts. It's easy to carry around with one hand and gets loud enough to ensure your favorite podcast hosts aren't drowned out by construction or household appliances. Voices and speech are rendered accurately, thanks to its detailed mid- and treble-range reproduction. While its directivity is decent, you'll need to position yourself carefully to ensure you get consistent audio delivery.
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Sturdy, portable design with detachable carrying handle.
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Gets pretty loud, with minimal compression.
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Over 15 hours of continuous battery life.
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Graphic EQ and presets in app.
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No room correction feature.
The Bose SoundLink Max doesn't feature any voice assistant integration, so it's not suitable for this use.
The Bose SoundLink Max is great for outdoor use. It's designed with portability in mind, and its IP67 certification against water and dust damage means it's prepared for whatever the elements have to offer. With over 15 hours of battery life, you won't have to fret about finding an outlet outdoors, either. With plenty of volume on tap and decent directivity, you can treat your outdoor gathering to stereo sound with minimal compression at max volume.
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Sturdy, portable design with detachable carrying handle.
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IP67 rating for submergibility in water and protection against dust.
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Gets pretty loud, with minimal compression.
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Over 15 hours of continuous battery life.
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Directivity isn't the best.
- 7.4 Music
- 6.5 Videos/Movies
- 8.0 Podcasts
- 3.0 Voice Assistant
- 8.2 Outdoors
- Updated Jul 30, 2024: Based on user feedback, we've updated our results in App to indicate that you can't pair this speaker with another Bose SoundLink Max speaker for True Wireless Stereo.
- Updated Jul 16, 2024: We've updated our review to confirm that this speaker is not only IP67-rated but can also float on water.
- Updated Jul 12, 2024: Review published.
- Updated Jul 03, 2024: Early access published.
- Updated Jun 28, 2024: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jun 13, 2024: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated May 21, 2024: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Bose SoundLink Max is available in two color variants: 'Black' and 'Blue Dusk.' We tested the 'Blue Dusk' variant but expect all color variants to perform similarly. You can see our unit's label here.
If you encounter another variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Speakers
The Bose SoundLink Max is one of the larger speakers in the SoundLink lineup. While it's larger and heavier than the Bose SoundLink Flex and the SoundLink Mini II Special Edition, it's still very portable and comes with a detachable carrying strap. It has a more balanced default sound profile than either of these speakers, with a lower bass extension. While it's quite a bit pricier than these other Bose speakers, this price tag comes with improved battery life, soundstage performance, and a louder sound with less compression at max volume. Though there's a decent amount of punch in the low-end, users who want a bit more rumble and thump should check out the slightly heftier Brane X.
You can also see our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best waterproof speakers, and the best Bluetooth speakers for bass.
The JBL Xtreme 4 and Bose SoundLink Max are both stylish and durable portable speakers with modern features. That said, the Bose is a better choice for most use cases, unless you plan on taking advantage of the JBL's longer battery life to take long hikes or own other JBL speakers you'd like to pair with. While the two speakers are similarly portable, the Bose has a more balanced sound overall, with a more prominent bass range and better directivity. It also features an aux input and lower latency with iOS and Android devices. That said, the JBL's 27 hours of battery life can't be overlooked, as it's almost double that of the Bose, and will surely be a deciding factor for users that value multi-day performance.
The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is designed for a slightly different use than the Bose SoundLink Max. While the SoundLink Max is a better choice for entertaining, the Portable Smart Speaker features excellent built-in voice integration and Wi-Fi compatibility, which sets it apart. The SoundLink Max has a longer battery life, can playback stereo content, and gets louder with less compression at max volume. It's also better built, and its IP67 rating protects it well against the elements. That said, if you're looking for a versatile smart speaker that integrates well with your home ecosystem but can also be brought on stints out of the house, the Portable Smart Speaker is still a great choice.
The JBL Xtreme 3 and the Bose SoundLink Max weigh a similar amount and have similar form factors. But if you have the budget for the more premium Bose, it has the edge in quite a few departments. Its controls are more intuitive, and it can get quite a bit louder with less compression at max volume. It has a more balanced frequency response, too, with a punchier bass and less veiled treble response, making it better suited for a broad range of genres. That said, the JBL has a slightly better battery life performance.
While the Bose SoundLink Max and the Bose SoundLink Mini II Special Edition are both portable speakers, The SoundLink Max has a larger form factor and a higher price tag that might dissuade some users. However, if you're okay with these caveats, you'll be rewarded with a much better overall performance. The SoundLink Max is better built, with an IP67 rating against dust and water, and it has a considerably longer battery life. It can also get louder, with less compression present at max volume. It has a more balanced frequency response, too, with a more even treble response and some additional punch in the low end. That said, it doesn't feature any kind of voice assistant integration as the SoundLink Mini II does.
Despite their differing designs, the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 and the Bose SoundLink Max have similar feature sets and performance. They're both portable enough to be carried in one hand and have stellar battery life performances for all-day playback. The Ultimate Ears' 360-degree design means that it has better directivity, though, even if both speakers are capable of playing stereo content. It also has a slightly better build quality. That said, the Bose can get louder with less compression at max volume, and its frequency response is more balanced. Both speakers are capable of a punchy bass sound, but the Bose has better extension in these lower frequencies and has a more even treble response.
Test Results
The Bose SoundLink Max sports a sleek, oblong design that's somewhere between a purse and a lunchbox. It features a detachable nylon rope handle with a rubber grip, which can be swapped out for different colored variants, as well as a longer rope carrying strap (although these are purchased separately). The speaker is intended to be used standing horizontally. It's constructed from high-quality materials like aluminum, fabric, nylon, plastic, silicone, and steel. It's available in two color variants: 'Black' and 'Blue Dusk.'
This speaker is very portable, and its detachable carrying handle is designed to help you carry it around with one hand. While it's not as lightweight as the Bose SoundLink Flex, it's not exactly hefty and can be easily slipped into a bag or backpack.
This speaker has excellent build quality. The silicone, metal, and plastic used for its body and grilles are high quality, non-slip, and resilient. It also comes with a small, thick nylon rope handle with a rubber grip that feels durable. It's also rated IP67 for full submergibility in water and for protection against dust. Like the Anker Soundcore Boom 2, it can also float in water, which can be handy for your next pool party.
This speaker's controls are located on the top panel. They're intuitive and make it a breeze to input most functions. There's a helpful tutorial in the companion app that runs you through how the physical controls work. The 'Play/Pause' button also has some additional functionality: pressing it twice skips a track and pressing it three times lets you skip back. There's visual feedback in the form of small LEDs over certain buttons that indicate when you've reached max/min volume. There's also a shortcut button located next to the Bluetooth button that lets you switch between Bluetooth and AUX sources by default. However, it can be remapped in the app to be a 'Spotify tap' function that gives you instant access to your Spotify playlists.
- Bose SoundLink Max
- USB-C to USB-C charging cable (1.5 m/4.92 ft)
- Help guide/warranty
The Bose SoundLink Max has a decent frequency response overall. We tested it on its default setting with no EQ applied and found that it offered a relatively balanced sound, with an even mid- and treble-range response that's well-suited to reproducing vocals, whether in music or podcasts. A peak in response around the high-bass helps bring out some punch in kicks and basslines. While the bass range extends lower than the Bose SoundLink Flex, it still lacks a bit of low-end heft. This is to be expected from a speaker of this size, though, and it can be counteracted somewhat by boosting the bass in the companion app's EQ. That's not to say the bass is underwhelming; there's still enough on tap to inject energy into the rhythms in electronic and hip-hop tracks. Sadly, there's no room correction tool to compensate for any resonances in your listening room.
The soundstage performance is very good. This speaker is capable of playing stereo content without downmixing to mono. However, the positioning of the tweeters means that you won't get quite as much separation between the left and right channels as with a wider speaker. Its directivity is also decent, so while audio won't sound perfectly consistent from every angle, it's more consistent than other small, front-facing speakers.
This speaker has a good dynamics performance. It gets loud enough to fill a large room with sound, plus there's minimal compression even at max volume. As a result, while you'll hear some pumping artifacts in the bass range, there's not too much degradation of audio quality, even if you like to crank your tunes.
The battery life performance is excellent. The manufacturer advertises 20 hours of battery life at around 65% volume, which seems roughly accurate considering we were able to achieve 15.5 hours at a higher volume. That said, the battery life will vary based on an array of factors, so your experience may vary. There's also an auto-off timer that's accessible via the app that can help you get the most out of the battery. You can set it to turn off at increments of 5, 20 (default), 40, 60, or 180 minutes.
The Bose Connect App is very good. It's easy to use and gives you access to a broad range of features. Using the app, you can adjust the sound via graphic EQ and presets, remap the shortcut button, and change the Bluetooth source. Plus, you can sync it with another compatible Bose speaker or soundbar vis SimpleSync for a more expansive sound. That said, there's currently no ability to pair two SoundLink Maxes, either for True Wireless Stereo or via SimpleSync.
This speaker features a single AUX input, so you can connect an external audio source via a 3.5 mm TRS cable. There's also a USB-C input that's used to charge the speaker.
The Bluetooth integration on this speaker is excellent. You can connect up to two devices at once this way, making it easy to split DJ duties. Audiovisual synchronization error is fairly low with iOS devices and even lower with Android devices, meaning you should encounter minimal lip-sync issues when watching video content.